Archive for August, 2013

Established by children’s book author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation
is accepting applications from public schools and public libraries
anywhere in the United States and its territories for program or event
mini-grants of up to $500.

The mini-grants program is intended to support projects that foster
creative expression, collaboration, and interaction with a diverse
community. The funding program provides an opportunity for educators,
whose efforts are often inadequately funded or recognized, to create
special activities outside the standard curriculum and make time to
encourage their students.

Public schools and public libraries are eligible to apply. Preschool
head start programs also are eligible. Only public organizations are
eligible; private and parochial schools should not apply. Charter
schools also are ineligible. Applicants must be located in the U.S. or
its commonwealths or territories, including Puerto Rico and Guam. Only
one application from each library or school will be considered.

Complete program guidelines, a video tutorial for applicants, and the
application form are available at the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Web
site.

The William H. Johnson Foundation for the Arts
was established in 2001 in honor of William H. Johnson, an American
artist known primarily for his Scandinavian landscapes and his witty and
poignant depictions of African-American daily life.

Recognizing that minority artists often need economic assistance the
foundation seeks to encourage artists early in their careers by offering
financial grants. To that end, the foundation is accepting applications
for the 2013 William H. Johnson Prize.

The Johnson Prize is awarded annually to an early career
African-American artist working in the areas of painting, photography,
sculpture, printmaking, installation, and/or new genres. For award
purposes, “early career” is a flexible term that should be interpreted
liberally to include artists who have finished their academic work
within twelve years from the year that the prize is awarded. For
example, a person who finished their studies in 1999 is eligible to
apply in 2011, but not in 2012. Age is not determinative, and artists
who have not earned BFAs or MFAs are still eligible so long as they have
not been working as an artist for more than twelve years.

The 2013 Johnson Prize recipient will receive $25,000. The winner will be announced in December 2013.

For complete program guidelines, application instructions, and
information about previous winners, see the William H. Johnson
Foundation for the Arts Web site.

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
provides fellowships for advanced professionals in all fields —
including the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and
creative arts — except the performing arts.

Often characterized as “midcareer” awards, the fellowships are
intended for individuals who have already demonstrated exceptional
capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in
the arts. The program seeks to further the development of scholars and
artists by helping them engage in research in any field of knowledge and
creation in any of the arts, under the freest possible conditions.

For this year’s program, the foundation is only offering fellowships
to citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Canada. The
annual competition for citizens and permanent residents of Latin
America and the Caribbean has been suspended for 2014 while the
foundation reviews the workings and efficacy of the program.

Fellowships provide grants to selected individuals over a time period
between six and twelve months. Since the purpose of the program is to
help provide fellows with blocks of time in which they can work with as
much creative freedom as possible, fellows may spend their grant funds
in any manner they deem necessary to their work.

Support is only available to individuals. Fellowships are not
available for the creation of residencies, curriculum development, or
any type of educational program, nor are they available to support the
development of Web sites or blogs.
The foundation understands the performing arts to be those in which an
individual interprets work created by others. Accordingly, the
foundation will provide fellowships to composers but not conductors,
singers, or instrumentalists; choreographers but not dancers;
filmmakers, playwrights, and performance artists who create their own
work but not actors or theater directors.

Grant amounts vary, and the foundation does not guarantee it will fully fund any project.

See the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Web site for complete program guidelines and applications instructions.

The position of Gallery Director, Hera Gallery/Hera Educational Foundation is a part-time paid position (18 hours per week). The Director reports directly to the President of the Board of Directors.

This position, while an administrative position, is a creative springboard allowing a motivated individual the opportunity to contribute to the local arts community by leading a well-regarded institution. Hera encourages the gallery director to pursue his or her professional interests. The gallery director may develop skills in the following areas: curatorial experience and exhibition design, graphic design, professional level arts writing, development skills, grant writing, website development.

Qualifications:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Organizational skills
• Good computer skills—proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, familiarity with Photoshop, Illustrator, MS Access or InDesign a plus
• Administrative experience desired
• The gallery director must have the ability to work with a diverse audience of local community members as well as artists, arts professionals, funders, and media. Serves as liason with community
• background or involvement in the visual arts

Responsibilities:

• Administrative: execute the general day-to-day operations of the gallery, supervise interns and volunteers, maintain exhibition and gallery records. Facilitate communication between artist members, Board of Directors and Friends of Hera. Oversee preparation of bulk mailings.

October 20, 2013 MYSTERY BUILD ARTIST CHALLENGE An art project with $15,000 in cash awards! Create a work of art using ONLY the materials provided in a Mystery Build Kit. The theme this year is “Re-Invent a Work of Art”. Submit photos and/or videos of what you make to compete for cash! The 5 lb. kits are 12″ x 9″ x 3″ and contain a wide variety of materials. Work individually or as a team. Entry fee includes
materials kit. Details: http://www.mysterybuild.com

October 1, 2013 NEW ENGLAND ARTISTS SOLO 2014 EXHIBITION COMPETITION This contest awards two artists a solo exhibition each, all gallery expenses paid, in January, 2014, at Bromfield Gallery in Boston. Open to all New England artists who have not had a solo show in a
commercial gallery. All media. Juror: Al Miner, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Entry fee. Details:http://www.bromfieldgallery.com OR info@bromfieldgalery.com

September 15, 2013 MACDOWELL COLONY FELLOWSHIPS Available to artistsof exceptional talent, providing time, space, and an inspiring
environment in which to do creative work. A Fellowship consists of exclusive use of a private studio, accommodations, and three prepared
meals a day for two weeks to two months. There is no cost for a Fellowship; travel funds and stipends are available to
artists-in-residence based on need. Application fee. Details: http://www.macdowellcolony.org

THE GAMM THEATRE TO HOUSE AND ADMINISTER STATE’S FIRST RESOURCE CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS

PAWTUCKET, RI (August 28, 2013) - The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) in collaboration with Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) is pleased to announce the creation of the Rhode Island Teaching Artists Center (RITAC) aimed at connecting Rhode Island-based teaching artists with job opportunities in the public and private sector. The center, funded by a $29,900 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation, will be housed at and administered by The Gamm Theatre. RISCA will be providing additional funds, as well as staff assistance.

The foundation’s support for the initiative came out of a national study on the state of teaching artists and the future of arts education, headed by arts and cultural policy analyst Nick Rabkin at NORC at the University of Chicago. Providence was one of the 12 cities included in the project, which has provided the largest data set on teaching artists in the United States to date.

“The study found that teaching artists bring innovative teaching methods and curriculum into schools. Developing collaborative professional development opportunities like these were among the key recommendations to support the future of arts learning,” said Mary-Kim Arnold, the foundation’s grant officer for arts and culture. “We are pleased to see The Gamm working with RISCA to lead this effort for the benefit of Rhode Island teaching artists and for the diverse communities they serve.”

RISCA Education Director Sherilyn Brown reiterated the need for professional development in the field.

“Teaching artists around the country have fostered academic learning, social and emotional growth, creative thinking and innovation, and health and healing with all ages and in diverse kinds of settings, from school rooms to corporate board rooms, to community centers, to nursing homes and hospitals,” said Brown. “Yet the profession of the teaching artist has gone largely unsupported and unrecognized. The RITAC project is an exciting opportunity to support and promote one of Rhode Island’s most valuable natural resources, our teaching artists. “

Starting in September, RITAC aims to establish a physical and virtual resource for mentoring, professional development, employment opportunities, and marketing assistance, among other needs. The center will also evaluate the impact of teaching artists within government, business, health care, social services, creative industries and K-16 education, with an emphasis on greater collaboration. Teaching artists will be invited to share pedagogy, methodology, lesson plans, employment opportunities and ideas for improving the profession. A website, now under development, will serve as a virtual platform to share that information. Additionally, the center will host bi-monthly meetings and workshops covering such topics as the growing role of the TA in the healthcare field, raising a family while working as a TA, and how to explain your work and document results. A steering committee of local arts education leaders will oversee and evaluate the year-long pilot program, with newly hired Project Director Arik Beatty coordinating events and researching similar programs across the country.

The Gamm Theatre’s Education Department has been serving the Pawtucket School Department since 2006, supplementing its small staff of in-house teaching artists with freelancers in order to meet the growing need. In recent years, that work has expanded beyond the classroom to include non-profit organizations and social service agencies such as The Autism Project and the RI Department of Health.

“Despite the documented value of the teaching artist in all learning and healing environments, there is a distinct lack of support systems to bridge the gap between professional TAs and those industries that would benefit from their skills,” said Gamm Education Director Steve Kidd. “As one of only two year-round professional theaters in the state, The Gamm is proud to collaborate with RISCA to address this need in a very practical way.”

ABOUT THE GAMM THEATRE

Founded in 1984 as Alias Stage, the non-profit Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre creates the finest of live theater, engaging the audience intensely in current and recurrent issues of consequence. The Gamm further serves the public with educational outreach programming designed to support the theatrical experience, and help sustain and enhance the intellectual and cultural life of its community. The Gamm is a member of New England Area Theatre (NEAT), a bargaining unit of the Actors’ Equity Association.

ABOUT RHODE ISLAND STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency, supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.

ABOUT THE RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. In 2012, the Foundation made grants of more than $30.4 million to organizations addressing Rhode Island’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping our state reach its true potential. For more information, visit www.rifoundation.org.

The deadline to register for the Fall Major Grant Cycle is just around the corner!To be considered in the Fall Major Grant Cycle, you must submit an Intent to Apply form online by 5pm on Tuesday, September 3rd. The form is a non-binding but required first step for all Major Grant applications. Late registrations and applications will not be accepted. Please note: The Fall Major Grant Cycle will
be the only major grant opportunity until Fall 2014; the Council will not hold a Spring 2014 cycle.

To submit a Major Grant Intent to Apply Form, visit the Council’s Grants Portal.

Arts & cultural organizations are required to submit the Rhode Island Cultural Data Project report as part of a Major Grant application. New to the CDP? Sign up for
one of several upcoming, free sessions from September 11th-13th. See the full schedule of orientation sessions on the RI Cultural Data Project website.

The Future of Music Coalition, the Artists’ Health Insurance Resource Center and Fractured Atlas are conducting
a survey of US-based artists about their access to health insurance. They are gathering data in order to be able to better inform artists of their care
options under the Affordable Care Act. (More at: http://futureofmusic.org/article/research/artists-and-health-insurance-survey)Please help us get the word out and share this survey with your network of artists! This is a critical moment to capture baseline data from US artists about their access to health insurance – the last day to participate is this Saturday, Aug 31.

ARTISTS: do you have health insurance? If not, why not?
Nonprofit artists advocacy groups are conducting an online survey from July 17 –
Aug 31 to assess how many US-based artists have health insurance on the eve of
the Affordable Care Act. These results will contribute to a body of research
that aims to provide artists with accessible information about their care
options.

All answers are anonymous and confidential, and the survey
should take about 10 minutes to complete. We urge you to participate so we can
really understand the health insurance needs and priorities of the artist
community. Survey closes August 31.

The workshop will be taught by Chris Alvanas, a photographer and digital artist, who has a diverse artistic background that
ranges from shooting stock imagery and models to high-end retouching and education. He was
Director of Photography at Center for Digital Imaging Arts in Washington, D.C. for the last four years and has been
a freelance digital artist for over 20 years. More recently, he has been working
as a fine art photographer and film maker.

Those wishing to participate must register and pay a $75 fee in advance by check or credit card. Please call Imago Foundation for the Arts
Treasurer Eileen Mayhew at 401-253- 4342 to register. The workshop is being presented by Imago Foundation for the Arts as part of its mission to
support community involvement in a wide range of cultural activities related to the arts.

The Imago Foundation for the Arts’ goal is to support community involvement in a wide range of cultural activities related to the arts.

Please visit imagofoundation4art.org to learn more about IFA, volunteer opportunities and other ways you can support the arts in our
community.

Job Description
——————————————-
Island Moving Co., Newport, RI’s resident contemporary ballet company, seeks a Company Manager to work with the Artistic Director and Executive Director to manage this professional performing company of nine dancers. The Company Manager handles all schedules and contracts for the Company’s 30 week season, supervises office management and deals with all office technology, including website, Patron Manager interface and hardware. Facility with digital media and Microsoft Office required. Strong candidates will have experience in the performing arts, in production and administration, and a willingness to work within the Island Moving Co.’s highly collaborative culture. The Company Manager reports to the Executive Director and Artistic Director; works with volunteers, marketing director, production staff, Associate Artistic Director and dancers.
Position will average 25 hours a week depending on production demands. No benefits.
How to Apply
——————————————-
Send resume; interviews immediately. Salary and performance review January, 2014.
Island Moving Co. PO Box 746, Newport, RI 02840; dominique@islandmovingco.org

Job Description
——————————————-
THE POSITION:
At Jane Pickens Theater we value teamwork, so you will be cross-trained to work at concessions and ticket sales, and if you have the right aptitude and attitude, learn to work in the projection booth. You will greet customers, complete cash and credit card transactions, keep the box office clean and well organized, change lobby signage and poster boxes, and be responsible for the security of box office cash and tickets. You will prepare and serve popcorn, beverages and other specialty items, pour wine and beer (you must be TIPS certified), perform inventory counts and replenish stock, and maintain the cleanliness of the concessions area, including the popcorn machine and other equipment, counters, shelves, floor and display cases. You will perform daily opening and closing operational duties, help keep the lobby, theater and bathrooms tidy and clean, and assist with other maintenance and infrastructure projects as needed to help ensure our smooth operations.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION:
- To qualify for this position, you must be willing to commit to working weekend and evening shifts.
- Excellent customer service skills; retail experience preferred but not required; proficiency with social media a plus.
- Good verbal communication skills as well as math and cash-handling aptitude.
- Friendly and energetic demeanor, with the ability to stay calm and move quickly during busy times; Self starter with the ability to stay productive during slow times.
- Strong work ethic, with a can-do attitude; desire to work as part of a team; flexible and capable of multi-tasking under pressure.
- Capable of standing, walking, twisting, bending and climbing stairs on a frequent basis; able to lift 50 lbs.
- Access to reliable transportation to downtown Newport; regular access to email and the internet.
- All Crew Members must be TIPS Certified to serve wine and beer in Rhode Island. If hired, you will be required to obtain certification at your own cost prior to commencing work at JPT.

How to Apply
——————————————-
TO APPLY:
Please send your resume, including references, to jobs@janepickens.com. If your resume qualifies, you will be asked to submit an application.

Spark Grants

Spark Grants, a competitive grants program conceived of and funded by Letitia and John Carter, offer 3rd grade classroom teachers in
Providence up to $1,000 for projects that engage students through unique experiences and creative learning methods and stimulate student interest in relevant educational topics.

It is hoped that, over time, this program will inspire creativity, exchange of ideas, and experimentation among teachers. Spark Grants are
managed by the Rhode Island Foundation.

Eligibility

Fulltime teachers in any Providence public school, including
charters physically located in Providence, may apply for these
competitive grants.

Eligible expenses: software licenses, field trips, equipment, and other resources that would not otherwise be available.

Proposed projects can serve several students or an entire classroom.

Multiple applications from one teacher are not permitted; teachers should submit their best idea.

Multiple teachers may collaborate to submit a joint proposal to pool funds.

Supplies alone are not eligible, unless the teacher makes a
compelling case for how the supplies would engage and stimulate their
students in a new and unique way.

Application information

To apply, teachers must tell us:

How would you use the funds?

What outcomes do you expect as a result of this project?

Applications must be submitted by midnight (EST) on October 18, 2013. Please note that no assistance will be available after 5 p.m. (EST). A
panel of external reviewers will assist the Foundation in screening applications. Each application will be judged for originality, potential
for success, and clarity of purpose.

Programs selected for funding will be announced in December 2013. The funds must be expended by the end of the 2013-2014 school year.

Spark Grant recipients must provide a one-page summary at the end of the school term describing how they used the funds and what the grant has
accomplished. Successful applications and the report forms will be made available online at the conclusion of the school year, in order to
inform and inspire other teachers.

As you may know, we launched our private lesson
programin August. We’ve got some truly fantastic teachers on board–teachers
who excel at their craft and who truly care about their students. You or your
child can now take lessons on a range of instruments, including piano, guitar,
and voice. And, there’s more to come.

Set up a regular private lesson time slot today! You can do it online, or
you can call (401) 475-5955.

Please
register or contact the Rhody Center ASAP if you want to grab one of these
amazing–and affordable–courses. Creative expression through music and dance is
SOOO good for you. Plus it’s a lot of fun!

Call
for Testimonials

Did you enjoy a class, course, or special event at the
Rhody Center? We’d love to hear about it!

Of course, we welcome ALL kind of feedback, as we’re always looking to
improve and to offer things that interest you. But we’d really love it if you emailed us a testimonial or reviewed our Yelp profile. Thank you for
helping spread the word about us!

September
7 – 8: Open House

Mark your calendars! To celebrate the Pawtucket Arts
Festival, as well as the Arts Marketplace that’s going on in the armory, the
Rhody Center is planning an open house the weekend of September 7th and
8th.

The Rhody Center is proud to host Destiny Africa for a series of workshops.
Workshops will be led by the children. They will focus primarily on Ugandan
drumming but they may also include a song and a traditional Ugandan dance if
time permits. Suitable for all ages.

Destiny Africa is the Children’s
Choir of Kampala Children Centre. Kampala Children Centre (KCC) rescues children
from war-torn areas, streets and orphaned situations to offer them love,
education, a family environment and nurturing them to become agents of
transformation. With the support and encouragement of Arnold Muwonge, the
Director and founder of Kampala Children Centre, the choir started with the
housemother and children of the first house at KCC! Now Destiny Africa has
become a voice for millions of suffering children in Africa and the world over,
a channel that brings healing, joy and hope to a desperate world.

Drum Sessions for
Beginners

These workshops are tailored for beginners/those who are
new to music and dance.
$10 suggested minimum donation at the door. All
proceeds go to Destiny Africa Children’s Choir / Kampala Children Centre. Space
is limited; pre-registration recommended.

These workshops are tailored for those who have some
experience with drumming. Drummers are encouraged to bring their own drums. $10
suggested minimum donation at the door. All proceeds go to Destiny Africa
Children’s Choir / Kampala Children Centre. Space is limited; pre-registration
recommended.

*The fine print: Savings apply only to class
tuition, and do not apply to model, studio, materials or other fees. Yes, summer
camp is included if the child is a first-time student. Sorry but Visiting Artist
Workshops and Art History Talks are not included. The offer is valid for classes
that will be completed in 2013. One offer per
person.